History of Jindo

The Prehistoric Age

There are many more menhirs and dolmen in our island than any other area, which suggests that people have been living here since the Neolithic era. Around this time, this island was called “Basket Island”

The Period of the three kingdoms

In Baekje Kingdom, the local government office, called Injindogun, was located in now Gosung Gogun-Myeon. As for Younghyeon, there were 2 Hyeons, one was DosanHyeon, which is now the Gogun-Myeon in the Gunae-Myeong area, and the other was Maeguri-Hyeon, which is now Imhoe-Myeon area. During King Euija’s 20th year (660), Baekje Forces surrendered to the Silla.Tang. Allied forces and Jindo were included to Daebangjoo-Hyeon, which had been established in now Najoo.

In the Silla Kingdom, Jindo belonged to Moojinjoo (Kwangjoo at present), which was one of 9 states according to reorganizing of administrative districts as directed from King Moonmoo’s 17th year through King Shinmoon’s 7th year (687). Jindo-Hyeon was newly organized and the Gogun-Myeon area belonged to Mooan-Gun. Then, Dosan-hyeon was renamed to Gosan-hyeon; the government office in now Wolgadeul. The office of Maeguri-hyeon was placed in Bongsangrideul.

In King Kyungduk’s 16th year (757), Dosan-hyeon was elevated to Noesan-Gun and separated from the previous governmental district, and Maeguri-Hyeon was changed to Tamchum-Hyeon and it belonged to Noesan-Gun.

The Goryeo Dynasty

In March of King Taejo’s 23rd year (940), when the government changed all the administrative districts and states, the name Gun, Noesan-gun was abolished and was renamed as Jindo-Gun. It was made independent with Gaheung-Hyeon, Tamchim-Hyeon, Imhow-Hyeon, Jindo-Hyeon, and Oei-Hyeon Gosung had been designated as the main local governing center with three Hyeon under that which established Hyang in Euishin.

In July of King Sungjong’s 14th year (995), this island was called “Haeyangdo.” It was renamed to “Okjoo-Gun” and became one of the 14 states. In February of King Hyunjong’s 9th year, Okjoo was changed to Jindo and the government office that was in present Gosung was moved to present Yongjangdeul in Gunae-Myeon.

In June of King Wonjong’s 11th year (1270), “Mr.Bae Joongson”, one member of Sambyeolcho (Three Elite Patrols), named one of royal blood, Seunghwahuon, as the king and set up the capital in Yongjang. But Hondo, the head of Mongolian invaders, subdued Jindo, and most of villagers were captured and sent to Mongol by force. At that time, Jindo was almost empty land. To make matters worse, from July in King Choonjung’s 2nd year (1350) to November of the next year, all the villagers had to take refuge three times in Wolak, Myungsan and finally to Gumsan due to the Japanese pirates’ invasion. During this time, the people could not return to Jindo so the local government office was settled in Gumsan. There were not any government offices in Jindo for 80 years.

The Joseon Dynasty

In King Taejong’s 9th year (1409), Jindo had been called Jaejin-Gun due to a merger with Haenam-Hyeon In King Sejong’s 19th year (1437), It came to be called Jindo-Gun after the separation from Haenam-Gun. In June 29th the same year, the first County Mayor, Yangkyung, set up a governmental office in Gosung area, but he found that this area was no as good as the seat of county office, so he moved the government office to Jindo-Eup in 1440 (called year of Kyungshin). After, going through many reorganizations, it consisted of a total of 8 Myeons with two Myeons of Samchon-Myeon and Myungsan-Myeon, which belonged to land area and 6 Myeons of Gunae-Myeon, Gogun-Myeon, Euishin-Myeon, Imhoe-Myeon, Eupnae-Myeon and Mokjang-Myeon which belonged to the island area.

In King Gojong’s 30th year (1895), while the local administrative system was reorganized, Eupnae-Myeon was changed to Bunae-Myeon and Gunnae-Myeon to Gun1 and Gun2, Gogun-Myaon to Go1 and Go2, Euishin-Myeon to two Myeons of Myunggum and Euishin, Imhoe-Myeon to Im1 and Im2, MokjangMyeon to Jisan-Myeon, and then the other two Myeons of GasadoMyeon and Jodo-Myeon were newly created. Also Myungsan-Myeon in Youngam, Samchon-Myeon in Haenam and 5 Myeons in Mooan were unified into one Myeon. Therefore total 17 Myeons belonged to Najoo-Bu

In King Gwangmoo’s 10th year (1906), Myungsan-Myeon and Samchon-Myeon belonged to Youngam and Haenam-Gun.

After the Joseon Dynasty

In 1914, when abolition and amalgamation was carried out, Docho belonged to Mooan-Gun, and finally Jindo-Gun had 7 Myeons of Jindo-Myeon: Gunae-Myeon, Gogun-Myeon, Euishin-Myeon, Imhoe-Myeon, Jodo-Myeon and Jisan-Myeon, and 101 Ri

In 1963, Majindo-Ri, Jodo-Myeon was included with Jangsan-Myeong, Shinan-Gun, and in 1973, Sooyeok-ri, Sooyu-Ri, Haechang-Ri and Sanwol-Ri in Gunae-Myeon were included with Jindo-Myeon.

In 1975, Daeya hamlet in Nokjin-Ri Gunae-Myeon was dispersed, and the 226 steering “Ri”s became 227.

In 1979, Jindo-Myeon was elevated to Jindo-Eup, and it was assigned 1Eup, 6 Myeons, 99 Ris (WoonyoungRi 227)

In 1980, 4 new Ris were formed by being separated from their original district. Naesanwol was separated from Sanwol-Ri Jindo-Eup, Yongho-Ri from Gagye-ri Gogun-Myeon, Soopoom-Ri from Jeopdo-Ri Euishin-Myeon, and Sambongam-Ri from Bongam-Ri Jisan-Myeon, and so the total number of Ri became 231 from originally 227.

In 1983, Gosan Island and Pyungsa Island, with their affiliated small islands, were included with Shinan-gun from Manjedo-Ri nad Gasado-Ri. Therefore administrative Ri was reorganized to 98 from 99 and steering Ri came to be 229 from 231.

In 1986, Sajung-ri jingdo-Eup was separated to Sajung 1Ri and Sajung 2Ri, and Jeondoo-Ri became to Jundoo 1, Jundoo 2 and Chungryong. Then Sukyo-Ri Imhoe-Myeon was divided into Gobang and Gooboonsil, and Sooma-Ri Jisan-Myeon was separated into Sooyang and Masa. Lastly, Eoporyu was split from Chang-Ri Jodo-Myeon. Thus the 229 steering Ris came to 236. In 1987, Yomjang-Ri Imhoe-Myeon affiliated to Jindo-Eup.

By the reorganization of government setups in 1990, Jeodo and 5 other small islands were included with Jindo-Eup from Shinan-Gun.

In 1992, the total number of steering Ris became 241 from 236 by splitting or creating into several administrative districts as follows: from Domook-Ri Euishin-Myeon to Domok-Ri and Dohang-Ri, from Jeopdo-Ri to Wonda-Ri, from Jookrim-Ri Imhoe-Myeon to dongheon-Ri, from Soengmoo Jisan-Myeon tp Baekyondong-ri, lastly from Shimdong-Ri into Sanshimdong-Ri and Hashindong-Ri.

he separation of Jeonggeo-ri from Wolga-ri, Gunnae-myeon in 2005 changed Jindo’s 241-ri to 242-ri in all.